Pottery Barn Hundi Lantern Knock-Off

Remember my Home Goals 2011 post a few weeks back?  Well, this weekend, I knocked out one of the items of the list.  Well "ish".  My goal was to take down all of the contractor grade light fixtures and buy/make custom ones.  I have three that I really want out of my sight.  Forever.  The one that is really bugging me right now is the one in the breakfast nook.  With the new table and wainscotting looking so good, I chose that fixture to come down first.


Here are two inspiration pictures I have been drooling over for the breakfast nook.  I just think the black detail will really tie in to the black granite counter tops and be dainty enough to hang over the 48" round table.

After viewing The Hand Me Down House and getting some inspiration, I started a weekend project that saved me roughly $245.00!!!


I started off by buying this beautiful {read: well, there are no words} brass light fixture at a local thrift store for $9.99.  It was labeled $12.99, but by my asking at the register if she knew it worked, she got nervous, didn't answer and told me she "could do $9.99".  I said sure because I was going to buy it anyway.  Lesson learned:  keep your mouth shut and let people get nervous when responding to questions about products!

After disassembling the light, you can set aside the glass globe because you won't be needing that!  You will end up with the brass items below:

I feel like I owe you two additional pieces of information.  1.  what are the "non" brass items?  Answer: they are other items you will need to buy at Home Depot that I will list for you in a moment.  2.  Why is your fixture mount hanging from your tree?  Answer:  Because it was an awesome idea from Reginia at The NOT So Modern Family as a way to easily set it up for optimal spray paint coverage!

{Let's face it...you are basically witnessing the product of a Saturday DIY Date Night}

Now for spray painting.  I used what I had, which happened to be a can of high gloss black.  It honestly covered it like glass and looked beautifully (even if I did forget to wipe all of the dust off of it...oops).

Don't forget about the mounting piece hanging in your tree...spray that, too!  Even spray the cord black, just tape over the exposed copper wires.  (To keep any paint from going into the 4 light bulb holes, tuck some cotton balls in there and just remove them once the fixture is dry).

After letting everything dry for about 30 minutes, take them all in and place them on a towel on a flat working surface.  Now is a good time to talk about the additional products you will need.  You will need:

• (3) S Hooks, size 2 1/8" (preferably closed, but you can man handle some open ones until they are closed)
• (3) pieces of #16 chain cut in 1' pieces (this will already come in black)
• (1) package of Coil Steel Hanger Strap, size 3/4" (this will be copper in color and will come in a package of 10')
• Gorilla Glue
• Black Ribbon that is wider than 3/4"
• Hurricane Light
• This is the most important piece.  You will want to take the "chandelier" piece with you from store to store.  Before you buy anything, you must make sure that there is a flute shape at the top and that you can set the chandelier completely through that smaller section.  I went to four stores before finally finding mine at Michael's.  It was $16.99, and I had a 40% off coupon I printed off of their website.  Google coupons!!!

For assembly, you will need to cut the piece of hanger strap to an inch longer than the waist of the flute in the hurricane.  You will need to place it around the skinniest part of the flute and tighten it while marking where it overlaps.  Remove the strap from the hurricane and place on the table.  With Gorilla Glue, glue where the edges overlap and insert your 3 S hooks

.The next step is to slide the tension ring, with the S hooks already attached, to the top of the hurricane in the curve.  Here, you will want to measure (or count out how many circles are between each hook) to make sure that the hooks are the same distance apart.

Now - this process will more than likely cause some of your spray paint to scrape off.  Do not fret!  You can remove them and spray again OR just touch them up with some black paint and a brush (or a sharpie) that you probably already have in your craft drawer.


You will need to cover the hanger strap with some pretty ribbon.  I used some heavy, velvet ribbon that was 7/8".  For this, begin gluing where the seal in the hanger strap is.  Put dots of hot glue on the strap every inch or so and press the ribbon down.  When you get to an S hook, you will need to make a small cut exactly where the S hook is.  Then just continue gluing down until you make it to where you started.

You will also want to go ahead and connect the 3 chains.  You will leave the ends that you attach to the S hook CLOSED, but you will have to pry open the other end of the chain to attach towards the ceiling.


Now we are ready to go get the fixture mounting piece hanging from the tree and reassemble everything.

Now you may begin assembly:

*note that these picture make the paint job look shoddy.  This is just the way brass reacts to light or flash.  Trust me, these babies are midnight black!


You are ready to place the chandelier piece in the hurricane and stretch the 3 chains up to link onto the lip of the piece you flipped earlier.

I actually had to trim my chains a little because using the entire 1' that I had cut left my chandelier barely sitting in the hurricane.  I wanted it to sit a little deeper, so I just counted off the same amount on all three chains and adjusted accordingly.


Now you are ready to have your man wire it up.  Play around with it to get it balanced and flip the switch to see her beauty.  Here are some afters taken at about 9:00 p.m.  I will have to wait until I see my house in the daylight again (maybe Saturday) to take some better photos, but I promise to update.  Enjoy!

In about 2 hours and $25.00, I ended up with a great knock off!  You must check back this weekend for some much better after photos!


Don't you just love a great Pottery Barn Knock-Off!


*All photography compliments of Reginia at The NOT So Modern Family (except the nasty after shot!)


I am linked to Making The World Cuter, I Heart Nap Time, Skip To My Lou, Crafts Keep Me Sane, All Thingz Related, Giggles, Glitz and Glam, Seven Thirty Three, Thrifty Decor Chick, These Creative Juices, Funky Junk Interiors